I’m Convinced THE Most Important Tool For Growing In Our Faith Is QUESTION ASKING?

Jesus Asked 339 Questions; Jesus Was Asked 183 Questions and Answered on 3 of them.

Paying Taxes: "Is it lawful to pay taxes to the emperor or not?" . . . "Bring me a denarius and let me see it." And they brought one. Then he said to them, "Whose head is this, and whose title?" - Mark 12:13-17

Blind Man: 1 Walking down the street, Jesus saw a man blind from birth. 2 His disciples asked, "Rabbi, who sinned: this man or his parents, causing him to be born blind?" 3 Jesus said, "You're asking the wrong question. You're looking for someone to blame. There is no such cause-effect here. Look instead for what God can do. - John 9:1-3

The Good Samaritan: 25 On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. “Teacher,” he asked, “what must I do to inherit eternal life?”26 “What is written in the Law?” he replied. “How do you read it?”…29 But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”

…

36 “Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?” - Luke 10-25-37

We often ask the wrong questions

Healing a Quadriplegic: Jesus knew immediately what they were thinking, so he asked them, “Why do you question this in your hearts? 9 Is it easier to say to the paralyzed man ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or ‘Stand up, pick up your mat, and walk’? - Mark 2:8-9

Pool of Bethesda: Afterward Jesus returned to Jerusalem for one of the Jewish holy days.2 Inside the city, near the Sheep Gate, was the pool of Bethesda, with five covered porches. 3 Crowds of sick people—blind, lame, or paralyzed—lay on the porches. 5 One of the men lying there had been sick for thirty-eight years. 6 When Jesus saw him and knew he had been ill for a long time, he asked him, “Would you like to get well?” - John 5:1-6

Beggar at the Temple: Peter and John went to the Temple one afternoon to take part in the three o’clock prayer service. 2 As they approached the Temple, a man lame from birth was being carried in. Each day he was put beside the Temple gate, the one called the

Beautiful Gate, so he could beg from the people going into the Temple. 3 When he saw Peter and John about to enter, he asked them for some money. - Acts 3:1-3

Where do we see questions being VERY important in the Scripture?

We can ask all the questions in the world and it won't matter is we don't ask THE MOST

IMPORTANT ONE:

"WHO DO YOU SAY I AM?" - Jesus

What do you envision when you hear or read about people being "amazed at Jesus' teaching"? He had "authority", but it wasn't like that of the religious leaders, based on memorizing and obeying laws....His was different because it was built on a SOLID foundation of HIS IDENTITY AS A (PERFECT) CHILD OF GOD. THAT is the narrow road, narrow because EVERY OTHER FOUNDATION DOESN'T HOLD UP IN THE STORMS OF LIFE.

The Wise and Foolish Builders

24 “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. 26 But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 27 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”

28 When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, 29 because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law.

True and False Disciples

20 Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.

21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ 23 Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’

- Matthew 7:20-23

Watchout for False Prophets! They are everywhere according to Jesus, and they vie for our attention and affection by sounding A LOT LIKE JESUS, but not quite right. The only way we can guard against this kind of deception isn't through legalistic rule following, but by MEETING, KNOWING and FOLLOWING JESUS.

15 “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. 16 By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 17 Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.

- Matthew 7:15-20

For these are rebellious people, deceitful children,

    children unwilling to listen to the Lord’s instruction.

10 They say to the seers,

    “See no more visions!”

and to the prophets,

    “Give us no more visions of what is right!

Tell us pleasant things,

    prophesy illusions.

11 Leave this way,

    get off this path,

and stop confronting us

    with the Holy One of Israel!”

§ Isaiah 30:9-11

But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. 2 People will be lovers of themselves…

6 They are the kind who worm their way into homes and gain control over gullible women, who are loaded down with sins and are swayed by all kinds of evil desires, 7 always learning but never able to come to a knowledge of the truth. 8 Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so also these teachers oppose the truth. They are men of depraved minds, who, as far as the faith is concerned, are rejected. 9 But they will not get very far because, as in the case of those men, their folly will be clear to everyone.

- 2 Timothy 3:1-9

The road is narrow, the gate is small...but that doesn't mean it is a slippery, legalistic path where Jesus is waiting for you to mess up so he can send you on your way towards destruction. The narrow path is the way of Jesus, it is the path to the good life...because it is narrow, it is the path often less traveled by the majority of folks. It is the path of forgiveness, mercy, justice, truth, humility, grace, creativity, vulnerability, vision. The GOOD LIFE Jesus is offering us is only found by ACTUALLY FOLLOWING the good life Jesus lead and taught, it is only gained by intentionally allowing God to develop our interior life through prayer and practice. It is also only gained when we ACTUALLY DESIRE the Kingdom of Heaven.

Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. 14 But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it." - Matthew 7:13-14

If you IMAGINE JESUS Judging you and it is bleak...re-Imagine Jesus...Re-Introduce yourself to the Jesus of the Bible...His Mercy TRIUMPHS over JUDGEMENT Every time.

7 “Do not judge, or you too will be judged. 2 For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.

3 “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? 4 How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? 5 You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.

6 “Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces. - Matthew 7:1-6

He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act JUSTLY and to love MERCY and to walk HUMBLY with your God. - Micah 6:8

Because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment. - James 2:13

What do you desire? This is THE ULTIMATE QUESTION we are confronted with when we encounter Jesus. Jesus never tells us to not WANT anything...Jesus never tells us not to invest or store up "treasure"...he says "Don't store up EARTHLY treasures for YOURSELF"

How do we value the things Jesus valued? How do we DESIRE the things of the Kingdom of Heaven? We ask God to change our hearts, our desires!

19 “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

22 “The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy, your whole body will be full of light. 23 But if your eyes are unhealthy, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!

24 “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.

25 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? 26 Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?

28 “And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29 Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30 If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? 31 So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 

34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. - Matthew 6:19-34

“You're one election away from losing everything that you've got" -DJT

Imagine that Jesus sees EVERYTHING! He isn't impressed by "shows" of spirituality...rather he wants us to live in the freedom of letting our YES be YES, being ourselves all the time.

What we do in secret, will be paid out in public...our current LEADERSHIP CRISIS is seeing this coming to life as the shameful things done in private are coming to light.

“When you pray, you shall not be as the hypocrites, for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Most certainly, I tell you, they have received their reward. But you, when you pray, enter into your inner room, and having shut your door, pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.

In praying, don’t use vain repetitions, as the Gentiles do; for they think that they will be heard for their much speaking. Therefore don’t be like them, for your Father knows what things you need, before you ask him.

Pray like this:

‘Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy.

Let your Kingdom come. Let your will be done, as in heaven, so on earth.

Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our debts, as we also forgive our debtors.

Bring us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.

For yours is the Kingdom, the power, and the glory forever. Amen.’

“For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you don’t forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

“Moreover when you fast, don’t be like the hypocrites, with sad faces. For they disfigure their faces, that they may be seen by men to be fasting. Most certainly I tell you, they have received their reward. But you, when you fast, anoint your head, and wash your face; so that you are not seen by men to be fasting, but by your Father who is in secret, and your Father, who sees in secret, will reward you.

- Matthew 6:5-18

Jesus isn't a conservative or a liberal - He is a radical MESSIAH who shows us a DIFFERENT way of living! Jesus isn't condemning or supporting divorce, but (with a broken heart) pointing out our own hypocrisy and freeing us from it!

27 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ 28 But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. 29 If your right eye causes you to stumble, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. 30 And if your right hand causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell.

Divorce

31 “It has been said, ‘Anyone who divorces his wife must give her a certificate of divorce.’ 32 But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, makes her the victim of adultery, and anyone who marries a divorced woman commits adultery.

- Matthew 5:24-32

How do we treat our enemies? Who are our "enemies"? What does it mean to "love" someone who hates you?